St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-06
sTEARNs COUNTY SCHOOLS.
Supt. Kiehle Has Been Quietly
Investigating the Alleged Trou-
bles---ResuItS of an Inspectors


SuDt. klehle Has Been Quietly
Investigating the Alleged Trou-
bles---ResuIts of an Inspectors
/ Visit.
Following up the trouble over the
schools at Melrose, StearnS county,
State Institute Conductor W. F. Roche
lau, under instructions from Supt.
Kiehle, made an unannOunced visit to
the representative schools of the county,
especially those against which COM
plants had been made, and the follow
ing is summary of his report: The
county contains al districts, with a
population of $4,000, 65 per cent of
which is German. Many of the
country districts are exclusively Ger
man and Catholic. The language of the
home is German, of course, and the hrSt
appearance of English is the introduce
ton of English words in cOlloquial Ger.
man, making language neither Eng
fish nor good German.
As to the schools, nothing reported by
Mr.. Rocheleau, nor learned by myself,
gives me reason to believe that there is
any special opposition to the public
school system among the people. Ac-
cording to the statistical report of
the county superintendent for the last
school year, fifteen districts held school
ten months, and 65 per cent of the dis
trictS supported schools six months or
more. while the average for the county
was six and five-tenthS months. This Is
SiX-tenths of a month above the average
of the state, and leaves but thirteen
counties that show higher average for
the year. As to the teachers, 40 per
cent are males, which is IS per cent
ahnxra tho St0fn The wages IN
males average S44 per month, and to fe-
males S33, which is s. per month above
the state average for both males and fe-
males.
These facts seem to prove that these
people are supporting schools which III
length and expense, at least. compare
very favorably with those of other cOun
ties. Now as TO the quality of the in
struction. Mr.. ROcheleau reports the
following visit: .'Richmond registers
10T pupils, with an attendance of nine
ty-five. These are crowded into school
room of ordinary size. and are all under
one male teacher. Their ages range
from five to fourteen years. Yet, in
spite of these difficulties. this was by
far the best school visited, and l under
stand from the county superintendent
is by far the best in the German district.
Here iSlillustrated the old prOverb, las IS
the teacher so is the school," The work
in language and numbers was above the
average The pupils speak English
well and read intelligently. The teacher
was educated for the public schools of
Germany. in which he taught five years.
He has held his present position sixteen
years, and he told me that in this time
he has not had Protestant child in his
school. The general characteristics of
l. ln. Of
ganizatiOn and system,
NO PROGRAMME OF WORK
having been found in any school Wis
tied, and in many an ignorance OF the
ordinary appliances and methods that
we are accustomed to see in American
schools. In some schools the German
language has prominence not allowed
by law, and not in the interest of the
children if they are TO become intelli-
gent American citizens. German read
ers. and in some cases German arith-
meticS. have been in use. The hour
allowed by law for instruction i'll for
eign language should be confined TO
that purpose, and all instruction III sub
iects for information and discipline
should be in the English language.
Mr.. ROcheleau reports that the county
superintendent has ordered the lmme-
diate exclusion of German arithmeticS.
As to the use of school houses for relig-
iOus instruction Mr.. Rocheleau reports
that he neither saw nor learned any
thing TO confirm that report, but that 1T
was in all cases denied. And now, hay
ing residence of some years i'll Stearfs
county. and personal acquaintance
with many Of the teachers and schools
of that county. feel warranted i'll the
conclusion that the local controversy at
MelroSe, which involved personal, ma
tiOnal and religious elements, has led
to some wrong judgments concerning
the condition of things in the county.
Doubtless the facts of foreign people
with foreign language, very
many of whom are iliiterate
in their own tongue, and of
a religious faith whose clergy strongly
favor parochial schools, tell heavily
against the efficiency of the public
school system in that county. AS a
result, schools are neglected, the quail
fcatiOnS of teachers are made of see
Ondary Importance. and the improve
ment of the children is very unSatiSfac-
tory. But there is no disloyal feeling
or antipathy to the schools prevalent.
The people are growing more interested
and many are DESTROYS of gaining all
the advantages for their children that
the state offers, and at the same time
will remain loyal to their religion. At
the late institute held at St. Cloud
nearly all the teachers were Catholics,
including several Sisters from the Ben
edictine convent, who, in appreciative
attention and interest, took high rank
i'll the institute.